ISBN: - 978-93-88936-09-5 4.6 EVOLUTION OF TAPPING The method of crop extraction was very crude in earlier days. The Brazilians used to make multiple cuts on the tree trunk and the branches and sometimes cut down the whole tree to extract latex from the bark. This process resulted in heavy damage to the healthy trees and affected sustained crop extraction. In 1890, Henry Nicholas Ridley, Director of the Singapore Botanical Gardens, devised the basic methods of current-day tapping which involves shaving out with sharp knife thin slices of the bark to cut open the closed ends of latex vessels and letting the latex flow out. He had a group of research workers in the Singapore Botanical Gardens and prescribed optimum planting density, cover crop establishment, fertiliser application, disease control and processing of latex. 4.7 EXPORT OF RUBBER PRODUCTS Various export promotion schemes have been introduced by the Government of India from time to time to enhance export from India. The Rubber Board plays an important role in enhancing export of natural rubber (NR) by implementing various export promotion measures. The schemes are designed to provide financial as well as technical assistance to exporters. It includes the compensation of the expenses incurred on quality improvement, packing, internal transport and terminal handling. This has helped the exporters to make an entry in the international market. India’s trade depends considerably on the import and export of rubber related products. Manufactured goods remained the main item in imports of rubber products, while tyre and tube products accumulated a major share in export from India. Total Area, Tapped Area, Production and Average Yield per Hectare of Rubber The following table shows that the total area, tapped area, production and average yield per hectare of rubber. To ascertain the significant difference between the total area and yield per hectare, “T” statistics is administered. The resultant mean score, mean differences, standard deviation are presented in table 4. 1 Table 4. 1 Total Area, Tapped Area, Production and Average Yield per Hectare of Rubber Year Total Area (ha) 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 566555 569667 575980 584090 597610 615200 635400 661980 Tapped Area (ha) 400713 407953 427935 439720 447015 454020 458830 463130 108 Production (Tonnes) 631400 649435 711650 749665 802625 852895 825345 864500 Average yield/ha (kg) 1576 1592 1663 1705 1796 1879 1799 1867
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